Global expression profile of spleen DNAM-1+ and DNAM-1- NK cells.. Mus musculus

We determined the global expression profile of DNAM-1+ and DNAM-1- NK cell purified by flow cytometry from 6 different groups of C57BL/6 WT mice. Natural killer (NK) cells comprise a heterogeneous population of cells important for pathogen defense and cancer surveillance. However, the functional significance of this diversity is not fully understood. Here, we demonstrate through transcriptional profiling and functional studies that the activating receptor DNAM-1 (CD226) identifies two distinct NK cell functional subsets: DNAM-1+ and DNAM-1- NK cells. DNAM-1+ NK cells have enhanced Interleukin 15 signaling, proliferate vigorously and produce high levels of inflammatory cytokines. By contrast, DNAM-1- NK cells that differentiate from DNAM-1+ NK cells, have greater expression of NK cell receptor related genes and are higher producers of chemokines. Together our findings highlight the existence of two distinct effector programs in innate lymphocytes controlled through DNAM-1 expression. Overall design: NK1.1+NKp46+CD3- DNAM-1+ and DNAM-1- NK cell were purified by flow cytometry from 6 different groups of C57BL/6 WT mice and total RNA were extracted